At what point do you take your LO to the GP?

[mcflumpy]

I feel really helpless. My DD has a really horrible cold (she's 11mo) and is completely miserable. She is the most unwell she's ever been, this is only her 2nd cold. She's had a temp since Friday night which has been controlled by calpol & ibuprofen, calpol alone wasn't working. She's spent the last 3 nights not sleeping at all, last night she wimpered all night. She has a nasty wet cough and is generally very bunged. I'm doing all the usual things, her cot is propped, have olbas oil on a muslin in cot, she's been in the bathroom with steam etc but she's not getting any better. Her temp does go down with meds but isn't going away. I feel helpless. Part of me says it's just a cold and will pass and it would be irrational to take her to docs as she'll mostly likely be a normal but bunged baby when we get there as she's ok-ish during the day but part of me says I should get her checked over. It's so horrible hearing her weak little cry as she can't get to sleep, cuddles from mummy or daddy don't help as she's just so thoroughly miserable but clingy at the same time.

At what point do you say enough and take your LO to the docs anyway (we'd have to utilise their emergency appt system to be seen today) ?

I would listen to that part of you that says get her checked out today, as it's been a few days that she's had a high temperature and she isn't sleeping.

Don't worry about the utilising the emergency appointment system, that's the whole point of it.

I'd take her down to the docs today.
With a temp,l if it goes on for 3 days, I take mine to get checked. It says on the bottle 'if symptoms persist see a gp' or something anyway.
Plus if your gut is telling you to get her looked at, get her looked at.
Your gp would rather see her and she's fine than not see her and there be something wrong iyswim.

I'd take her. My ds had the same sort of thing and it had turned into an ear infection. There wasn't any medicine prescribed but it helped set my mind at rest that there wasn't anything more serious, and give me a time frame for when things should get better. IMO doctors always make time to see babies that are ill.

Mine have never been ill enough to go to the drs but I think I would take her if I were you, ncflumpy. Poor little thing - it's awful when they are poorly, isn't it?

My dd was like this when she was just over 1 year. We thought it was a cold but her temperature was high.

She had an ear infection and was put on anti biotics. Defo worth getting your dd checked out.

Ooh yes I'd get her seen sooner rather than later. Seeker, your kids never been ill enough to go to the drs, really????

If she has got a temperature, then it might be an ear or chest infection - so best to get her checked over

I would definitely take mine in if they were that rough.Much better to get seen even if its all actually fine.Hope she's better soon.

temp could indicate ear infection, has she got smelly smelly breath? that was always a sure sign in my dd at that age.

deffo go gp.

Those symptoms qualify for a GP in my book! Persistant cold alone, usually not. But fever and nasty cough with it, yes.

CharlieBoo - nope. Dd had an infected foot whne she was 4 and needed antibiotics but we went to a and e because it was a sudden and dramatic infection. She also got a fishbone stuck in her throat that was taken out at Minor Injuries. Ds has had a broken finger and a broken wrist - both dealt with by minor injuries and in the case of the wrist, hospital.

I took dd to the drs once when she had croup, but the practice nurse diagnosed her when she heard her cough in the waiting room so we never actually got as far as the doctor!

Fingers crossed, touch wood - that's it!

You are sooo lucky!!! My ds is very healthy (touch wood) but my dd seems to pick everything up!!

It's not that they haven't ever been ill - they have. But I'm a bit "Brace up, form squarea, let's go out for a lovely brisk walk, that'll make you feel better". And so far it's worked.

My dh (GP) says to take her - he never minds putting parents minds at rest when their children are ill like this.

There's little he could do, but reassurance is pretty important!

Hope she feels better soon.

Half my family are drs and they all say a mother must rely on her instincts. They have repeatedly seen mothers' instincts work better than anything else. So in short take her, absolutely take her and never worry about wasting time when ot comes to your little ones. Any Dr worth their salt would agree with this.